Greatest Heavyweight Of All-Time, Semi-Final: Larry Holmes vs. Muhammed Ali

The winner goes to the final against the winner of Foreman vs. Tyson.

I'm pretty sure that Muhammad Ali wouldn't have lost to his old sparring partner.

Beating the likes of Marvis Frazier, Zanon and David Bey doesn't qualify you to be able to outbox 'The Greatest'.
Holmes looked great against a sad motley crew of underachieving and average Heavyweights while Muhammad Ali ruled the 'Golden' era of Heavyweight boxing.
Larry didn't have the power to trouble a prime Ali and his skills were inferior.

Ali toys, out jabs and outboxes Larry to a clear points victory.

Agreed. If we are honest, Holmes' definition as a fighter was largely influenced by Ali's existence. With the exception of his jab, Holmes was inferior to Ali in every respect (not that that is an insult).

Holmes' chin and smarts would allow him to survive, but I see Ali really getting under Holmes' skin in the build up and then boxing circles around him by not allowing Holmes to counterpunch.

Ali close tough tight decision.

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Originally Posted by WelshDevilRob

I'm pretty sure that Muhammad Ali wouldn't have lost to his old sparring partner.

Beating the likes of Marvis Frazier, Zanon and David Bey doesn't qualify you to be able to outbox 'The Greatest'.
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Yeah but how does that logic prove that Larry COULDN'T outbox Ali? Who did Ken Norton beat before beating Ali? No one really, he was known more for being a former sparring partner of Joe Frazier's. I'll never understand why people look at factors that have absolutely nothing to do with the fight when picking a fight. Look at prime Ali, look at prime Holmes, and say who you'd think would win based on their styles and abilities. Thats all that matters.

In a fight that would undoubtedly be a chess match that would go to the decision, I would take Holmes by a close decision. I think he would outjab ali.

Larry handled Ali late in his career and video evidence shows he gave him hell in sparring before the rumble in the jungle, But Prime Ali? Sorry Larry, i no u always thought u could beat prime ali but u jus couldnt. Too much speed, too many ideas.....

Yea these bewilder me too  ??? Ali wasnt superman and Larry is one of the top 5 heavies ever, people underestimate the power of having a jackhammer jab smashed in your mush for 12 rounds, it can really stuff and stifle an offense and keep a fighter at bay.. Its a pickem fight for me and Larry is just as capable as Frazier or Norton.

Ali and Holmes are both all world  ;)

and if Ali started running his mouth and getting under Larry's skin, Holmes would drop kick him off the hood of a Pinto ;D

At there best I honestly cant splitt them. It would have been a classic. Sparring with Holmes I beleive did Ali a lot of harm.

I have opted for Ali. He wasn't superhuman, he was just too fast, and speed at Heavyweight level is often a key factor.

i had to go for ali. too much footwork and hand speed

well i think holmes would win there were people in ali's prime that gave him more trouble who were way below larry but it hard to get alot of people to blieve ali could be beat prime but in prime he never faced anyone besides a old sonny listen who was 36 or 38 at the time and not what he use to be and as far as fazier goes who he beat besides ali and same with nortan and forman beat nortan and frazier and lost to ali i mean how is that the greatest era because who they beat before them to make them great. and as far as holmes goes maybe not his era that was weak maybe he was just to good for his era but no one ever thinks that and holmes in my opionion can beat any one ali beat and same for ali so how is it ali always gets the benifate of the doubt and no one thinks otherwise most of the time drives me nuts sure ali had speed over holmes but think about it holmes i think had a better jab and that could hurt ali because he never had to face a oppent with a better jab i think it might slow him down a bit if a jab keeps hitting him in the face but thats just my thoughts i think larry wins this one SD.

I didn't bother to vote because you can never win its Ali even though he was almost koed by Cooper had close decision against Doug Jones and this was Ali near enough in his prime he got gifts off Norton due to Nortons jab giving him all kinds of trouble the same kind of trouble Holmes jab would give him there isn't much difference between them Holmes has better jab, both means chins were iron, both had giant hearts, power was close, speed Ali had advantage, but overall there pretty even in every department i can't really split them but you better believe whoever won it would be very close decision.

well atleast i am not alone when i say holmes could win just as easy as ali could

Tell you what though...Prime Holmes vs Prime Ali would be one of the greatest heavyweight fights ever in our modern era only rivaled by Prime Ali vs Prime Tyson